Welcome, 2018!

It’s time to put up a new calendar. I always try to buy a calendar that reminds me of adventures from the previous year. The calendar waiting in the wings at our house is filled with pictures of the Rocky Mountains which will bring back memories of snow-capped beauty shared with family and friends.

The “New Year” is a funny thing. For some it is the pinnacle of the holiday season. For others, it’s a “ho-hum” day that slips by without notice. Whatever your attitude about this holiday, it is a moment set aside to mark the end of one year and the beginning of another.

Sometimes people are eager to leave the past behind. If it was a rugged year marred by illness or loss, people can yearn to literally “turn the page” and leave those pain-filled days behind. Some people eagerly anticipate a brand-new year as they bid “good riddance” to days gone by.

The opposite can also be true. For some, these past 12 months hold precious memories they only reluctantly leave behind. Or they are all too aware of experiences that can never be repeated. Perhaps there was a special occasion or a joy-filled celebration shared with precious loved ones that is now slipping into the distant past. Or maybe they said good-bye to someone dear to their hearts and now dread the thought of beginning a new year without that person.

Some people feel December 31st grants permission for a night of excessive partying while those struggling with addiction face the challenge of maintaining their sobriety for another hard-earned 24 hours.

The New Year can be complicated. There is, of course, nothing “magic” about January 1st. The sun will rise as the stars fade into the dawning light, just as they do on 364 other mornings. And yet we have chosen this date to reflect on the passage of time. Perhaps it helps us value the fleeting moments a bit more. Maybe the New Year will help us remember just how precious time is and how swiftly the days – and even the years – go by. Maybe we can be mindful of the people who journey with us and the planet we share.

We can celebrate quietly or don party hats and blow noise-makers. But this humbling fact remains – Human life is brief and fragile. It can change in an instant. That stark fact doesn’t need to be depressing – it just offers an importance awareness that the moments we are given are precious. However we use them, let’s use them well.

The New Year, with its countdown clock and relentless second hand sweeping toward midnight, reminds me that we worship a timeless God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God offers love and new life every day. No matter what happens, no matter how we arrive at the New Year and no matter what the future may hold, we can be sure that God’s love and strength goes with us.